Fargo, N.D., USA – Nineteen feed manufacturers from Southeast Asia are attending the Feed Manufacturing Technology course that runs from November 5-9. After three days at Northern Crops Institute (NCI), Fargo, N.D, the group travels to Portland, Ore., for the wrap-up.

The course is co-sponsored by Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, North Dakota Soybean Council, and South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, in conjunction with the American Soybean Association International Marketing.

Lead instructor is Kim Koch, Ph.D., NCI Feed Center Manager, who has over 20 years of experience in international consulting with the feed manufacturing industry and has lectured extensively throughout the world. In addition to lectures on feed mill efficiency; feed mill design; mixing; particle size reduction; and pelleting, he also provided hands-on demonstrations of size reduction and pelleting at the NCI Feed Center.

“There is tremendous potential for production of food animals in China, India, and Southeast Asia. The group we have here this week is from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. They are all trying to understand how to use quality ingredients to make better feed, to increase animal production, and still make money,” says Koch.

“In shipping soybeans to Asia, the U.S. has a definite advantage over our competitors of Brazil and Argentina because we can ship off from the PNW directly to Asia. The shorter shipping time results in lower freight costs. This will be an advantage for the next ten years during the developmental time that is taking place in Southeast Asia. The more we can do to help them get quality U.S. soybeans for making quality meal, the better off they are and the better off we will be,” Koch concludes.

The five-day course focuses on the theory and mechanics of feed manufacturing technology using a combination of classroom presentations, processing demonstrations and ‘hands-on’ training. The group visited an integrated swine production facility and feed mill at Cando, N.D., and export facilities in the Portland, Ore., so participants could see first-hand the quality, efficiency and reliability of the U.S. soy production and logistics systems.

The goal for the course is to provide participants with the latest technical information to better understand today’s feed manufacturing industry and the role of soy. Technology training focuses on the size reduction, mixing and pelleting operations. The design, working principles and operation of hammer mills, roller-grinders, mixers, and pellet presses is thoroughly explained. Nutritional information emphasizes the quality and value of U.S. soy when used appropriately.

The course is coordinated by John Crabtree, NCI Assistant Director.

Additional speakers included: Frayne Olson, Ph.D., NDSU, who discussed commodity price outlook for 2013 and beyond; and Robert Thaler, Ph.D., SDSU, who presented information on soybean meal utilization. Brad Hansen will host the group as they tour the EGT Export Terminal in Longview, Wash. They will also visit the AGP Export Terminal in Aberdeen, Wash., where Leonard Barnes will lead a tour of the facility.

The Northern Crops Institute is the international center for meeting and learning about northern grown crops produced in the four-state region of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. Situated on the campus of North Dakota state University, NCI exists as a forum to bring together customers, commodity traders, technical experts, processors and producers from all pints of the globe for discussion, education, and technical service programs. Since 1983, the NCI has hosted visitors from over 130 countries.